Latest batch of QEAF Advanced Eagles delivered

On 31 July 2023, the latest batch of Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyyah Al-Amiriyyah Al-Qatariyyah (QEAF, Qatar Emiri Air Force) F-15QA Advanced Eagles arrived at RAF Mildenhall around 20:00 hrs LT.

The five F-15QAs, call signs RETRO61 to RETRO65 (serials 17-0034 to 17-0038), flew St.Louis Lambert IAP (MO) to Mildenhall and were accompanied by two KC-10A Extender tankers. The KC-10As flew under callsign GOLD11 (84-0186) and GOLD12 (86-0030), with GOLD11 routing Scott AFB (IL) to Bangor International (ME) and GOLD12 routing Bangor to RAF Mildenhall.

The Advanced Eagles departed Mildenhall on Thursday morning 3 August.

With the delivery of these five aircraft, only three F-15QAs are still in the US for trials. These are customer (construction) numbers 17-0001 (QA01) and 17-0002 (QA02). Number three, 17-0010 (QA10), was damaged on 18 May 2021 when it left the wet runway during the landing roll and as per standard procedure the ejection seats were activated in case the aircraft would dig in and/or tumble over. The aircraft is still under repair.

Photo by Phil Gorman